Alive
by CloudedWater
Summary: Just my take on the destroy ending post EC.


_Author's Notes: Yes I have played the EC which has inspired this. It has not been beta'd so there are bound to be mistakes despite my best effort. This was a rush job really and god I am rusty. _

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"_You mean everything to me Liara. You always will"_

She'd been called fearless but now as she laid in the broken rubble of the once grand citadel, nothing could be further from the truth. Crimson fluid seeped down the broken chapped lips of the commander as tears rushed down her face. She struggled to breath as what she considered to be her last thoughts focused on the woman she's come to love. The woman that was her everything.

"Liara…" the commander choked out and collapsed completely against the rubble. She was not afraid of death itself, but of something far worse; never seeing the Asari that she wanted to make her wife again. She closed her eyes, letting the memories and feelings act as endorphins.

"_How did you get stuck in there?" The commander stepped cautiously to the alien device that currently held the doctor._

"_I must have activated something during my flee from the krogan battlemaster. By the goddess!" The Asari would have turned her head in embarrassment if she could have, but the darker shade of blue that her cheeks became expressed the sentiment just as effectively. _

_The commander lowered and shook her head, letting out a small chuckle. While the situation was far from funny she couldn't help it. Humor got the commander through quite a few hard times. There was no need in changing that now._

"_Stay put, we'll get you out." The commander turned and then paused before turning back and smiling sheepishly. _

"_Guess you don't have a choice." She nervously scratched the back of her head and her cheeks flushed red._

Each breath was another fight but one she intended on fighting until she couldn't anymore. She rolled her head to the side to lull the ache away. Hazy smoke filled her vision prompting her to close her eyes and will another memory forward, an intimate one.

"_I don't know…marriage, old age and a lot of little blue children?" Shepard took a deep breath and stepped towards Liara focused and determined. _

"_You just say these things…" She playfully pushed the commander away but her words were far from playful. Gone was the ruthless woman she'd met on illium and in her place stood a very scared and unsure one. Shepard reached forward towards her but lowered her hand at the last second as the small feeling of apparent rejection took its toll on her. _

"_You were dead." Liara braced herself against the table and let it support her full weight while leaning forward. The facade had collapsed and Liara could no longer bear the mask she'd wore for two years. Resolved filled Shepard and she stepped behind Liara wrapping her lithe but strong arms around her waist._

"_I came back." She lowered her head and nuzzled her cheek against Liara's neck. She inhaled deeply relishing the woman's lavender scent. Oh god how she had missed this. Her hands pulled back but just enough to place her hands on her abdomen and rub it in slow circles; an action that Liara enjoyed greatly. She turned her head and stared into the green pools of her lover. She they spoke of nothing but truth, however she wondered if she could truly take solace in those words. She reluctantly pulled away from the commander's hold and gazed at the nebula from the roof's window. For two years she suffered alone without the human she called her soulmate and though the woman who held her heart so dear stood just mere feet from her now; she just could not put two years of grief behind her._

_Another pang of rejection hit Shepard but she let Liara have her space._

"_I need to know you're coming back." Liara's voice shuddered. She knew what she was asking for was an unrealistic expectation of her commander but her heart refused to listen. Shepard cleared the distance between them and gently turned her around._

"_I'm always coming back." She spoke with conviction._

"_Are you sure?" Liara asked hesitantly._

"_I haven't stayed dead yet." She smiled and once again pulled her into an embrace before stroking the Asari's cheek with the pad of her thumb._

"_You make a compelling argument." Liara closed her eyes and leaned more into Shepard's touch._

"_I've just warmed up." Sheppard continued to lose herself in those deep blue orbs. With desire and need threatening to consume her very being, she leaned forward and captured Liara's lips with her own. Shepard's heart raced out of control while the kissed deepened. She felt as if she was falling in love with the Asari all over again. Liara's eyes fluttered closed and she moaned into the kiss while running her hands through Shepard's dark red mane. She'd always loved this trait about the commander and one might assume this was an affinity for all humans but no it only applied to her commander._

"_Liara…" The commander trailed off, her tongue thick with passion and wanton lust. Liara knew what she wanted, what she needed and she was more than willing to give it; because she needed it too. _

_Shepard kissed her again and Liara could feel herself being pushed backwards. Feelings of apprehension and shyness crept upon the Asari and she felt as if she was experiencing the night before Ilos all over again. Her legs naturally bent when she met the edge of the bed and her commander smiled while gently climbing on top. The red head pulled back and gazed at Liara. Making sure to commit every feature to memory. From the freckles that gracefully dotted her fact to the large doe like eyes. _

"_Shepard?" Liara swallowed slightly barely able to hold back the sweet ache that attacked her lower regions. As if trapped in a trance beforehand the commander blinked and looked down at the woman with half lidded eyes._

"_I'm sorry , Liara, I just…god I love you. I'll never leave you." She shuddered with emotion and tears begin form at the corner of her eyes. It was only around Liara that she could fully let go of the armor. All her life she'd had it slammed into her over and over again that emotions were for the weak, that she had to be ruthless. She was on the edge of being immersed in that completely before Liara unknowingly threw her a lifeline._

"_I love you too, Shepard." She would never tire of saying it. Shepard smiled and let the tears fall. Tears that were soon wiped away with a soothing caress of the Asari's hand. Shepard composed herself and pressed her body downwards before planting light delicate kisses on Liara's neck. The asari welcomed the weight of her lover and gladly angled her head to allow more access._

_Even without the bond she could sense that her lover was holding back and it was further evidenced by the growling and rough panting. The only other time she growled was in anger and this was far from anger._

"_Shepard…why are you holding back?" She wrapped her legs around the commander's waist pulling her close, an action that made the commander grind instinctively. Shepard arched back and clenched her teeth, hissing at the contact._

"_It's….been two….years, Liara. I don't want to just ravish you. I want to make love to you, but…" Shepard licked her lips and stared down at Liara like a thirsty traveler trapped in the unforgiving harsh desert. _

_And Liara was her only water source._

_She smiled at the restraint that her lover showed, but it was far from necessary._

"_Embrace eternity."_

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_Shepard curled up against the warm supple body of her lover from behind and smiled before kissing the top of her head. Liara coo'd at the action and wished that she could relive this moment forever. Rough calloused hands slid over Liara's smooth skin accompanied by soft and wet kisses over her back. Each kiss sending a small shock of pleasure through her system._

"_Liara?" Shepard purred feeling content_

"_Yes"_

"_I love you and I'm always coming back"_

"Looks like I am breaking my promise, Liara. " She sighed and then looked to the heavens as her vision faded to black.

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Liara stood at the galaxy map with her hands on the rail using it as support. Her once unshakable faith that the commander had to have survived was now replaced with lingering doubt. Asari were meant to appreciate the time with a short lived loved one but Liara was hardly an Asari in that respect.

Liara took a deep breath and stood straight; embodying the commander she loved so much. She would push forward for Shepard.

The ship rumbled underneath her feet as the engines came back to life. It had taken some time but the surviving crew was able to fix the ship and was in the process of restoring communications. Joker worked diligently but Liara suspected it was mainly done to keep his mind off the loss of EDI. She too had done the same.

The radio cracked to life and the crew was met with static.

"This is the SSV Normandy, can anyone read me?" Joker shook his head refusing to give up.

"Norm….andy?" a familiar voice cracked through the interference.

"Hackett!" Communications were still shot.

Distorted noise came back as a reply and the only thing able to be understood was right at the end.

"Shepard….alive"

Author's Note: In case anyone is confused This Shepard picked destroy. With high enough ems it is implied that Shepard survives. The only way this works is if someone else found the commander and the Normandy crew doesn't know this because they don't have communications. Mass effect will live on through fanfiction. Btw I now I owe the last chapter of nightmares. It's coming but I had to get this out. I'm not going into detail about the EC but I will let you know my reaction.

I cried like a %^&*#


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